What do school-bus tracking systems track?

GPS (Global Positioning system) has been available to the public for decades. Initially, developed to build a new chapter in modern warfare, the GPS in now serving various purposes to help humanity. The field of education has enjoyed a number of benefits by the technological advancement of school bus GPS.

What does it track?

Bus tracking

The most important reason for using a GPS tracker in a school bus is to know where the bus is, and it can be done in real-time with the help of GPS, thus ensuring safety and security of students who use school transportation. Parents and teachers can monitor buses from their homes, offices or from the school itself. School bus GPS also helps schools to monitor buses to ensuring that they take the routes that are assigned to them. They can also act as a medium of communication between the drivers and school authorities. Drivers get early warnings of traffic and or other abnormalities on route to school, thereby avoiding delays. Even drivers have the option to relay messages to authority, in case assistance is required.

Student tracking

Apart from this, the GPS can also ensure student safety outside of a bus. Interesting huh!!! Wondering how that is possible? It is not a secret that kidnapping, extortion and child molestation are on an all time high in the country. Research has shown that children are most vulnerable while at bus stops, waiting for their buses. Here GPS can ensure safety by informing parents and students, on when the school bus will arrive at their stop. It can also notify if the buses are running late, thereby avoiding an unnecessary waiting period at a bus stops. It even tracks the students boarding and exiting the buses. This kind of monitoring system using school bus tracking system helps identify abnormal activities at real-time.

Driver tracking

Since it helps monitor the bus driving patterns, speed limits are kept in check and notified in case of any rash driving by the drivers. GPS helps schools maps the easiest routes for the buses and check whether the drivers follow the routes that are assigned. Following the shortest distance along with keeping check on speed helps drivers to maintain fuel efficiency. Moreover it also helps to record hard braking and acceleration with could be a part of erratic driving behavior and helps to tackle road accidents.

Data tracking

As GPS trackers use a real-time data storage mechanism, it stores the details of the drivers and their working hours, thus helping in error free calculations, providing transparency of information. Once the database is set up, GPS tracking helps in hassle free documentation as it helps real-time monitoring. It can also notify in case the driver makes uncharted stops.

Pollution tracking

As said earlier, GPS plays a vital role in route optimization. This can lead to lower consumption of fuel and with it lower emission levels. Better conditioned vehicles mean lesser pollution. It also helps to keep track of engine idle time, which can be controlled to further reduce fuel consumption.

Who reaps the benefits?

Well, apparently everyone who is involved in a student’s life profits from the installation of a school bus GPS tracking system. Parents, teachers, principals, school-bus drivers etc. have all praised what this technology has achieved. GPS school bus trackers together with school bus tracking apps have helped schools to keep their pupils safe, with a success rate of more than 80%.

But in India the conditions are quite different. It is estimated that India has an annual road accident toll of 1, 30,000 annually and the cost to economy, is a whopping Rs. 35,000 crores. Yes, you heard that right, 35,000 crores is what India loses annually. It is high time to make installing efficient school bus tracking systems mandatory throughout the country. CBSE recently has taken a decision to bring GPS into school buses throughout the country. A positive approach for sure, as it can address a lot of the current problems faced by Indian schools.